18.12.2008
Facing up to the challenge
Mary Godwin reports the last CPGB aggregate of 2008
There was a thorough discussion of perspectives at the aggregate of CPGB members held in London on Sunday December 14.
John Bridge outlined the Provisional Central Committee’s proposals for the goals and priorities for our work in 2009 and beyond. Our intention to assist in the setting up of a new committee to advance the serious study of Marxism; the style, content and commissioning of articles for the Weekly Worker; the relaunching of the CPGB website; party organisation and education; the development of Communist Students; our work in Hands Off the People of Iran - all were touched upon in the debate.
Comrade Bridge began by describing the current situation as that of economic as well as ideological crisis for the bourgeoisie, in which society is likely to become polarised and opportunities opened up for socialist organisations. But a turn to the left is not automatic. We have to act with calmness, decisiveness and boldness.
We are seeing a revival of interest in Marx, with even the defenders of the system admitting that Marxism explains the crisis in a way which bourgeois theories cannot. What these pro-capitalist commentators do not say is that Marxism aims to change the world as well as to explain it. Marxism uniquely combines a clear scientific understanding of what exists with an inspiring vision of how to make a better world.
There is no crisis of Marxism, but there is a crisis in the groups which call themselves Marxist. We describe these groups as our opponents, but this does not mean they are our enemies. Their members are on our side, and we want to make them part of the solution to the crisis. But at the moment their organisations are, individually and collectively, an obstacle to our goal of uniting the advanced section of the working class in a single party. A party of many millions of workers is needed - as the crisis deepens, many more will look to Marxism for an answer.
Should we then transform the Weekly Worker into a publication directly addressing newly radicalised workers? The problem with this is that for every CPGB member selling such a paper, there would perhaps be a dozen SWPers, and it would be difficult to convince the workers that we, rather than they, had the correct strategy. On what basis should workers choose between rival left groups on the margins of politics? That is why we still have to go through the existing left. But if the crisis deepens and there is a major class conflict, our tactics will certainly have to change.
After outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the various left groups, comrade Bridge went on to discuss the Campaign for a Marxist Party, which has now been disbanded, and the planned successor to it - an appeal or committee more likely than the CMP to attract serious Marxists. Hopefully such a committee/appeal would have an international dimension, and has already attracted promises of support from comrades in Ireland and France.
Comrade Bridge outlined the PCC’s plans for the Weekly Worker itself. In 2009 we expect to attract new readers who know less than our existing ones about the ins and outs of the left. Because of this we intend to widen the kind of debate we carry in the paper. Eg, as well as targeting social-imperialist ‘left’ groups, we will include attacks on mainstream bourgeois commentators such as David Aaronovitch, Nick Cohen and Christopher Hitchins. The same goes for arguments with advocates of halfway house formations. This hardly means that we will abandon the necessary task of confronting and exposing the leaderships of the existing groups, but we need to shift our approach to appeal to a wider readership.
We specifically need serious articles on the economic crisis. The paper still suffers from an acute shortage of good writers, and over the next year it is hoped that more of our comrades will develop their writing and political skills. We also want to publish articles by more and better non-CPGB writers.
Most of our readers are on the web - with fewer demonstrations these days, most readers rarely see a hard copy of the paper. Comrade Bridge described the website as inadequate and insufficiently updated, but said plans to relaunch following a redesign are well advanced. We want it to be more than just a repository of old Weekly Worker articles. Specifically, it should include a section for people new to Marxism.
Publication of Marxist books, by both CPGB authors and others, is also an important part of our work. Hillel Ticktin has written a book on crisis and perhaps the CPGB could assist in its publicity with special meetings, etc. Jack Conrad’s book Fantastic reality is being rewritten and updated and it was said that the second edition would focus less on polemics within the left and be more accessible to a wider audience.
Comrades in London have been debating the CPGB Draft programme for two years and have now nearly reached the final stage prior to the writing of a preliminary redraft. Comrade Bridge explained this will incorporate suggestions made and will be published for further discussion by CPGB groups. In the early summer a weekend conference is planned where the whole organisation can go through the draft section by section.
Discussing the organisation of party cells, comrade Bridge called for those outside London to hold public meetings, to be addressed by PCC comrades. Suggested subjects for talks at these meetings include the economic crisis, ecology and climate change, Europe and the nationalism of the left, and the Israel/Palestine question.
On finance, comrade Bridge reminded comrades that in the first half of 2008 the Weekly Worker successfully appealed for a £500 per month increase in standing order donations. The aim is to raise a further £500 per month by the summer to begin with for both the party and the paper.
Comrade Bridge concluded by stressing the continued centrality of Hopi and Communist Students in our work.
In the discussion that followed, the planned launch of an appeal/committee to replace the CMP generated a lot of debate. Comrade Yassamine Mather suggested that discussions should be held by the end of January with the national committee of the CMP as was. Comrade Anne McShane suggested a speaking tour by leading comrades of the new committee to stimulate interest in a renewal of the Marxist project. She described a recent successful Hopi speaking tour in Ireland by comrades Mather and Moshé Machover. Comrade Ben Lewis suggested that the new group should have more of a European emphasis, publishing articles from comrades outside Britain. Comrade Phil Kent said what the left needs is a programme, and suggested incorporating discussion of the programme into the work of the new organisation.
Comrade Tina Becker said our comrades’ contributions to the new formation should be seen as part of the process of systematising education in the CPGB. In this connection she suggested that Communist Students cells should all study the same book, which could be coordinated with visits by PCC comrades. Comrade Lewis said that, with new people being drawn into politics by the crisis, and that with the average age of the party membership rapidly decreasing, we need to spend more time on education, to counteract the mistaken ideas which have become engrained in the ‘common sense’ consciousness of the left. He suggested a systematic process of face to face meetings supplemented by an ‘introduction to Marxism’ course on the website. Comrade Mark Fischer agreed about the desirability of inculcating the best aspects of CPGB culture into new comrades, and proposed an induction programme.
As the publication of the Weekly Worker is our most important activity, understandably most comrades contributed ideas about how it could be improved. Comrade Mather suggested reprinting articles from more obscure journals which deserved a broader readership, while comrade Lewis advocated a more organised system of commissioning articles from authors and a more thorough criticism of what CBGB comrades submitted. Comrade Macnair agreed that commissioning in advance is a good idea, although obviously with developments in the world needing to be covered quickly it is not always possible. Comrade Becker said it is often necessary to have last-minute articles, but many more could be commissioned well in advance. Comrade McShane pointed out that discussion within CPGB cells of commissioned articles was a good way of enhancing their quality.
In conclusion, comrade Bridge re-emphasised that our fundamental thrust remains organising Marxists as Marxists. The unity of Marxists if feasible if we can break them from their sect mentality of bureaucratic centralism and lack of openness. 2009 will be a difficult year, but the CPGB is up to the challenge.
Earlier on, comrades heard a report on the economic crisis and its political implications by comrade Mike Macnair. An article around this subject will appear in the next issue of the Weekly Worker.